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Apocalypse Eclipse Session 4
The fourth session of Apocalypse Eclipse Preceded by Apocalypse Eclipse Session 3 Blindfest emerges in the dark city of Gloomwrought and travels to the market to spend some of their hard earned gold, all the while basking in the accolades of the citizens they saved during the attack of the Atramentous Detritus. They procure some goods but also decide to visit Balaren as they are in need of rest and recuperation. Baleren happily allows his former Crimson Sashes to stay in his comfortable guest house. Claudiu sets up a screaming scarecrow as they all remember too well being ambushed in the night during their previous stay at the Red Rake. In the middle of the night Claudiu awakens to find a shade perched on a windowsill. He introduces himself as the Deliverer and cryptically tells Claudiu that they are on the same side. The Deliverer also offers to inform him of Fortenk's location if Blindfest will travel to Briarborne Isle to clear up a demon infestation occurring there. Claudiu agrees and the Deliverer disappears into the night. Claudiu informs the rest of Blindfest of the strange visitor and they decide that thwarting the plans of demons is never a bad thing, shady as the shade was. They do take some time as they make their way to Briarborne to inquire what various people know about the island. They hear numerous stories of people vanishing from around the area and other strange occurrences. Blindfest proceeds to the Midnight Bazaar on Briarborne Isle and notice there are a fair amount of disheveled people wondering about. Blindfest is only there for a short time when a zone of dark energy opens near them and a humanoid figure with glowing red eyes emerges. The demon starts transforming citizens in the bazaar into demons as Blindfest chases him down. More demons emerge as more portals spring up around the Bazaar and Blindfest starts splitting up to fight the demons in an effort to protect as many citizens as they can. Bane teleports to the roof and blasts as many as he can, Darrak enters single combat with a demon, and Claudiu and Nehem stick mostly to the ground (Nehem not by choice). The party has a tough fight, and many citizens become demonic before they are finally able to bring the last demon down. Darrak feels a burst of pride as he manages to take down a demon in one on one combat, with only a bit of help from Bane. He also decides to render the last demon unconscious rather than strike it down. While Darrak is binding the demons with rituals, Bane searches through the fiends' gear. He discovers a demonic mushroom which the Evinassu was using to corrupt the populace, and recalls that there is a layer in the Abyss filled with fungi ruled by Zuggtmoy. Soon after, Cathonia, a fellow revenant appears and speaks to Bane about something troubling the Raven Queen. It seems the billions of souls from the recent dead from the destruction of Istria cannot be found. Bane agrees to help and can't help but wonder if these soul-stealing demons might have been part of that. She also requests that Blindfest destroys the demons they have captured after they are done interrogating them, drawing obscenities on them, or whatever plan they have in mind for them. Darrak then tries a bold strategy and performs a ritual to take on a demonic form to try to delve further into the demons' plan. He awakens the remaining Evinassu demon and convinces it that Blindfest departed, leaving the demon merely restrained. Although it begins well, his poor bluff betrays him and Blindfest is forced to quickly strike the demon down. As Bane takes the body of a slain demon for use in later trickery in the Bag of Holding, the Deliverer appears before Blindfest and congratulates them on their victory. He tells the group that he has good and bad news concerning Fortenk; he is located on the Isle of Lost Thoughts, but he appears to have been subject to demonic possession. Blindfest decides to go confront Fortenk in the hope that they can exorcise the demon from the gnome. Eventually the party comes to the Tower of the Planes, where Fortenk is said to reside. Bane decides to change his form into the demon in the bag and, along with Claudiu, approaches the clock tower. Claudiu is able to make out some movement through the grime covered windows and rashly decides to smash his fist through it. As the window shatters, the demonic Fortenk loudly calls out and Claudiu quickly disappears into the shadow under the windowsill. Fortenk cautiously approaches the window to check on what broke it and finds a demon-like Bane waiting for him. As Bane distracts him with reports that the demons on Briarborne have been defeated, Claudiu reaches from beneath the window, and grabs the gnome. Fortenk manages to summon demons to attack Blindfest while in Claudiu's grip and manages to hold his ground as Claudiu attempts to pull him through the window. Despite Fortenk's ability to suppress some of their magic items' power, Blindfest is able to take out their foes (knocking the gnome unconscious) and gain two undead minions in the process. Followed by Apocalypse Eclipse Session 5 Recording *Part 1 - Blindfest fights it's way through Gloomwrought and meets their greatest foe yet: Narrow Alleys!